Flyback game and toy



Aug. 18, 1931. w. P. SHEPHERD FLYBACK GAME AND TOY Filed Dec. 11. 1928 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES WINFRED I. SHEPHERD, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA FLYIBACK GAME AND TOY Application filed December 11, 1928.

My invention relates to a fly back game and toy which involves a rolling element and a device through which said rolling element can be rolled and which will turn and return said rolling element to the one rolling it into the device, said device having indicating elements positioned to be tripped or operated as said rolling element passes through said device and engages them.

Among the salient objects of my invention are to provide in such a device as above referred to indicating elements of different values and, when desired, in different colors, whereby it can be operated as a game; to provide in such a device indicating elements so placed that it is possible for the rolling element to pass through the device without operating or tripping any of said indicating elements; to provide means for guiding misdirected shots, said means preferably being foldable to reduce the size of the device when not in use or when it is to be packed for shipment; to provide a device of the character referred to in which the element rolled into the device passes behind the score board or around the indicating elements, tripping the same in the rear of said indicating elements; to provide in combination therewith means for simultaneously returning all indicating elements to normal non-registering positions; to provide a device adapted to have an element rolled to and through it and having elements mounted and positioned to be struck with said element and caused to move as said element moves through said device and is returned to the one throwing it; and, in general, to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive device of the character referred to.

In order that others may understand my .invention, I have illustratedone practical form or embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings which I will now describe. In the drawings- Figure 1 is a front view of a device embody ng my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on, line 2 2 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2, at one end only.

Serial N0. 325,292.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, my invention as shown for descriptive purposes, includes a body 4-, of curved form and of any length desired, with supporting means, here shown as wire rods 5, 5, pivotally connected with the opposite ends so as to be moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, for supporting the body in operating position, to the position shown in light broken lines, to which position each leg or support can be moved for compactness and when not in use.

A faceplate 6 is secured across the open side of the body and secured to the end members, designated 7 7, saidface plate having therein a series of openings, 8, 8, there be ing ten of these shown, although any number desired can be provided and they can be made in any desired form. The top edge of the body 4, and the front edges of the end walls 7 7, are shown rolled and provided with strengthening wiretherein, designated 9. Pivoted guide wings, 10, 10, are connected to the lower ends of the end members 7, 7, on the wire 9, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and these can be opened outwardly, or folded together in front of the lower side of the open front of the body, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. hen opened outwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, they serve as guides for directing a rolling element into the lower open side of the body, under the face plate 6, as indicated by the circular, broken line elements 11, Fig. 2. These elements may be marbles, balls or other suitable rolling elements designed to be rolled into the device and to be turned upwardly and out at the top, above the face plate 6, as will be, understood by the showing in Fig. 2, said element being shown in full lines as it trips or operates a registering'or indicating mechanism, now to be described.

A pivot rod or shaft 12 is extended through the body, from one end to the other,

back of the face plate 6. On this pivot rod 9:

12, is placed a series of drop, or indicating elements, designated 13, having curved faces, as 13, adapted to register back of the openings 8, 8, in the face plate 6. Said curved faces are provided with colored areas 13 near their upper sides, adapt-ed when said elements drop, the colored area will register with its opening 8 in the face plate 6. In Fig. 1, two elements are down, as indicated by the shading indicating yellow in opening 6, and red or pink, as in openingwardly in the path of the rolling element,

and adapted to be raised by said rolling element 11, to the position thereof indicated in light broken lines, Fig. 2. A shorter loop portion thereof, designated 14 extends downwardly a short distance and has connected therewith a rod 15, the other end of which rod is connected with a movable supporting element 16, pivotally connected at its lower end to a rod 17, extending tl rough the lower portion of the bottom and back portions of the face plate 6, said portions being designated 6' andfi, clearly shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of the supporting element 16, has a projecting lip 16 adapted to underlie the lower edge of the drop or indicating element 13, when said parts are in their normal positions, as in solid lines, Fig. 2. .Said element also has a lower lip 16, positioned to catch the lower edge of said drop element 13 when it is tripped and drops to the lower or registering position, shown in light broken line position, Fig. 2, said supporting element 16 having been pulled backwar dly by the movement of the loop 14 to its broken line position. I

Nleans for simultaneously restoring all of the drop elements to their raised positions is provided in a crank rod 18, extended at one end out through the end wall 7 and pro vided with an operating crank 19.

In Fig. 2, all parts are shown in: their normal, or non-registering positions in full lines, and in their dropped or registering positions in light broken lines. The restoring crank rod 18, is shown in the lifting position, lifting the drop elements to their raised positions, in light broken lines, and in its down or normal position in full lines in said Fig. 2.

The operation of the device will no doubt be understood from the foregoingdescription, but may be briefly described as follows:

The players roll the elements 11 into the open, lower part of the device, as indicated by the round broken line elements 11, their direction being indicated by the arrows. If one of these elements strikes a loop- 14, it raises it with the result that the parts are moved to the positions indicated in light 1 broken lines, and the drop element 13 drops down and registers its colored area with its opening 8, in the face plate 6. Other indicia can be supplied on said drop elements to register with the openings, if desired.

When all the elements have been rolled and the number of drops counted, they are simultaneously restored by turning the restoring crank 19. A spring 20, on. the pivot rod 12, in each loop 14, operates to normally move said loop and its connected elements to their normal positions, shown in full lines.

I amaware that my device can be embodied in a form and size to be used as a game, or that it can be made a simple, inexpensive toy, and that many changes therein can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, limit the invention to the showing made for descriptive purposes, or to the uses 1.

to which it can be put, except as Imay be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character shown and described including in combination anbody having a runway therethrough and: open in frontto receive a rollede-lement said runway being a returnrunway adaptedzto return the element rolled into said device, indicating elements associated with said device, means projecting therefrom into position' in the runway oi said device to be engaged by the element rolled through said runway,whereby the indicating elements can be released by the rolled elements as-th'ey are rolled through said device.

2. In a device of the character referred to, in combination, a body having a return. run:- way therethrough and open infrontto receive a rolled element andto return it toward the starting place, indicating elements in the front of said device each with trip means extended into the possible path of; rolled element, between the entrance and exit for said runway, whereby said-trip means can be engaged and actuated by said rolled element passing through said runway, and means for restoring said indicatingelements to their original positions.

3. In combination, a body having a: curved backand an open-front, a face plate across said open front to leave entrance and exit spaces below and above said face plate, whereby an article rolled into the entrance space will be directed upwardly and outwardly from said exit space, indicating means associated with said face plate and having actuating portions extended into position midway between the entrance and exit to be engaged by articles rolled into and through said body, and-means wherebythe engagement of said rolled article with said actuating portions causes said indicating means to be actuated.

4. In combination, a body having a curved member therein and an open front, a face plate across said open front to leave entrance space below and exit space above said face plate, whereby an article rolled into said entrance space is directed upwardly and outwardly through said exit space, indicating means associated with said face plate in the rear thereof and seen therethrough, means connected therewith in the rear of said face plate and adapted to be engaged by said rolled article for causing the actuation of said indicating means, and means for simultaneously returning said indicating means to non-indicating positions.

5. In a fly-back device of the character referred to, a body providing a return runway therethrough, whereby an element rolled into said runway will be turned and returned to the starting position, means in the path of said runway and mounted to be engaged and moved by said element, said means being spaced to provide an element of chance of said element engaging said means, and indicating means adapted to be automatically actuated when said rolled element engages and moves said first mentioned means there being sight openings in the front wall of said runway intermediate its ends for said indicating means.

6. In combination, a body having a curved back, open in front, a face plate across said open front and having a series of indicating openings therethrough, indicating elements movably mounted back of said face plate and having indicating faces adapted to be moved to register with said openings to be read from in front of said plate, means con nected with said indicating elements in the rear of said face plate and positioned to be engaged by an article rolled through said body, whereby to trip said indicating elements and cause them to move into registering position with said openings, and means for restoring said indicating elements to non-registering positions.

Signed at Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, this 28th day of November, 1928.

WINFRED P. SHEPHERD. 

